US7737859B2 - Psychosomatic state determination system - Google Patents

Psychosomatic state determination system Download PDF

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US7737859B2
US7737859B2 US10/546,475 US54647504A US7737859B2 US 7737859 B2 US7737859 B2 US 7737859B2 US 54647504 A US54647504 A US 54647504A US 7737859 B2 US7737859 B2 US 7737859B2
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psychosomatic state
exponent
psychosomatic
time series
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US20060232430A1 (en
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Michiko Takaoka
Kakuichi Shiomi
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Electronic Navigation Research Institute
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
    • A61B5/16—Devices for psychotechnics; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
    • A61B5/18—Devices for psychotechnics; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state for vehicle drivers or machine operators
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
    • A61B5/103—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes
    • A61B5/1036—Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
    • A61B5/16—Devices for psychotechnics; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
    • A61B5/68—Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient
    • A61B5/6887—Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices

Definitions

  • the present invention is related to a psychosomatic state determination system for measuring a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of a human being without imparting any awareness to a subject and predicting or determining the psychosomatic state such as wakeful or non-wakeful state of a subject.
  • the system for sounding an alarm or operating an automatic brake if no operation is done for a predetermined period of time may misread that the driver is dozing although he or she is not, when the duration of no-operation has been accidentally prolonged, requiring the subject has to drive while always paying attention to do some operation posing a problem that the system tends to induce an accident on the contrary.
  • the setting of the period of time for the detection of doze is after all performed often based on a subjective decision; therefore an accurate determination of psychosomatic state was unlikely to be achieved.
  • the inventors of the present invention have invented, in light of the above problems, a psychosomatic state determination system which makes it possible to predict or determine the psychosomatic state of a subject without imparting any awareness or burden of the determination to the subject and without relying on a subjective determination and to prevent an accident with certainly and before it happens and before the subject falls into a doze by calculating psychosomatic state exponents, such as Lyapunov exponents, from a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of a human being presenting chaotic behavior, and by comparing it with a known psychosomatic state exponent.
  • psychosomatic state exponents such as Lyapunov exponents
  • the term “psychosomatic state” used in the present invention refers to a health condition of a body and a psychological state.
  • the health condition includes a wakeful state where he or she is “awakened”, and a non-wakeful state where he or she is “sleeping”, and in addition thereto, the non-wakeful state is further classified into several levels from a restless sleep (REM sleep) to a deep sleep (non-REM sleep).
  • the psychological state includes a state represented by expressions such as fatigue, tension, fear and the like. Since the health state of a body and psychological state both originate from the cerebral functions and have a close relationship, these state are termed collectively as a “psychosomatic state”. As the psychosomatic state originates from the cerebral functions, the “psychosomatic state” in the present invention is used as a synonym of a “cerebral function state”.
  • the chaos theory as documented in typical known references including “The essence of chaos” by E. N. Lorenz, means “a theory for seeking the dependency and the like to the initial conditions from the stochastic oscillation phenomenon and the like occurring in a nonlinear system”, and the “psychosomatic state exponents such as Lyapunov exponents” mean numerical values for quantitatively determining whether or not it is a chaos in the chaos theory.
  • the load value of a human being includes a value conversable to the load value or a value obtained with respect to the load value (such as an acceleration value).
  • the invention in accordance with claim 1 provides a psychosomatic state determination system for predicting a psychosomatic state such as a wakeful state and a non-wakeful state of a subject, comprising: a data processing means for calculating a psychosomatic state exponent such as Lyapunov exponent from a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of a subject; and an evaluation means for comparing a temporal tendency of a psychosomatic state exponent calculated in said data processing means with a temporal tendency of a known psychosomatic state exponent corresponding to a psychosomatic state to thereby predict a psychosomatic state of said subject.
  • a data processing means for calculating a psychosomatic state exponent such as Lyapunov exponent from a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of a subject
  • an evaluation means for comparing a temporal tendency of a psychosomatic state exponent calculated in said data processing means with a temporal tendency
  • the invention in accordance with claim 2 provides a psychosomatic state determination system for determining a psychosomatic state such as a wakeful state and a non-wakeful state of a subject, comprising: a data processing means for calculating a psychosomatic state exponent such as Lyapunov exponent from a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of a subject; and an evaluation means for comparing a value of psychosomatic state exponent calculated in said data processing means with a value of a known psychosomatic state exponent corresponding to a psychosomatic state to thereby determine a psychosomatic state of said subject.
  • a data processing means for calculating a psychosomatic state exponent such as Lyapunov exponent from a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of a subject
  • an evaluation means for comparing a value of psychosomatic state exponent calculated in said data processing means with a value of a known psychosomatic state exponent
  • the psychosomatic state of the subject can be predicted or determined without imparting any awareness to the subject and without depending on any subjective decision.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 3 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, comprising a sensor for outputting a load value of said subject.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 4 provides a psychosomatic state determination system wherein said sensor is one single unit.
  • the consideration about the synchronization among a plurality of sensors or about the difference among individuals caused by the output delays occurred among sensors is not needed, and furthermore the cost of parts can be saved.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 5 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said sensor is either a pressure sensor, such as a piezoelectric element, a pressure-sensitive resistor element and a potentiometer, or an acceleration sensor.
  • a pressure sensor such as a piezoelectric element, a pressure-sensitive resistor element and a potentiometer, or an acceleration sensor.
  • the sensor that outputs a load value as described above is compact, has a high pressure resistance, and is easily available, and can be built into a chair or a bed for being easily used for the psychosomatic state determination.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 6 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said sensor is attached to a chair or a bed to which a load of said subject is applied.
  • the psychosomatic state determination can be conducted with a sensor being attached to a chair or a bed and with the subject being on the seat or lying on the bed.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 7 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said chair or bed has an elastic material such as a spring therein.
  • the chair or bed has less sense of incongruity the subject and the sensor can be built in directly, eliminating the need of installing the sensor under the floor.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 8 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, comprising a noise elimination means for eliminating an unwanted frequency component included in a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of said subject.
  • the prediction or determination has its precision improved by removing unnecessary frequency components from the time series signal of the load value or barycentric position.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 9 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said system extracts samples from a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of said subject at a frequency of from 10 Hz to 100 Hz.
  • the time series signal with the frequency required for the chaotic analysis can be extracted, and even with less number of samples the same effect as monitoring continuously the psychosomatic state can be obtained.
  • the signal processing or the calculation of psychosomatic state in a much together manner can be achieved.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 10 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said system comprises an amplifying means for amplifying a time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position of said subject.
  • the data processing can be facilitated by the amplification of the time series signal of the load value or barycentric position when the signal is small.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 11 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said system comprises a calculation means for calculating a barycentric position of said subject from each of load values output from a plurality of said sensors.
  • the barycentric position can be determined from not less than two sensors.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 12 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said system comprises a warning means for sounding an alarm by using a display and/or a speaker to said subject or for communicating to an administration station which manages said subject, based on a psychosomatic state predicted or determined of said subject.
  • the prediction or determination result of the psychosomatic state of subject is communicated to the management station of the subject or directly to the subject to thereby prevent an accident with certainly and before it happens.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 13 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said system comprises an action detection means for detecting in time sequence an operation status or a driving behavior of said subject: and wherein said evaluation means compares a temporal tendency and/or a value of a known psychosomatic state exponent corresponding to a status detected in said action detection means and a psychosomatic state with a temporal tendency and/or a value of said calculated psychosomatic exponent to thereby predict or determine a psychosomatic state for each of said states of said subject.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 14 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said system comprises a stimuli outputting means for giving to said subject a stimulus such as a physical stimulus or an audio-visual stimulus; and wherein said evaluation means compares a temporal tendency and/or a value of a known psychosomatic state exponent at a time when said stimulus is output from said stimulus outputting means with a temporal tendency and/or a value of said calculated psychosomatic state exponent to thereby predict or determine a psychosomatic state for each of said states of said subject.
  • the invention in accordance with claim 15 provides a psychosomatic state determination system, wherein said stimuli outputting means promotes a change in a behavior of said subject by outputting said stimulus effective for preventing from falling into an abnormal psychosomatic state from said stimuli outputting means based on a psychosomatic state predicted or determined of said determinee.
  • FIG. 1 shows an exemplary system configuration of the psychosomatic state determination system in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 2 shows another exemplary system configuration of the psychosomatic state determination system in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 3 shows still another exemplary system configuration of the psychosomatic state determination system in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 4 shows an exemplary chair having a sensor attached thereto
  • FIG. 5 shows another exemplary chair having a sensor attached thereto
  • FIG. 6 shows still another exemplary chair having a sensor attached thereto
  • FIG. 7 shows a graph indicating the temporal change of output signals from the acceleration sensor attached to the chair
  • FIG. 8 shows another graph indicating the temporal change of output signals from the acceleration sensor attached to the chair
  • FIG. 9 shows a graph indicating the temporal change of psychosomatic state exponents.
  • FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of reconfiguration of an attractor
  • FIG. 1 shows an exemplary system configuration of a psychosomatic state determination system 1 in accordance with the present invention.
  • the psychosomatic state determination system 1 includes a psychosomatic state evaluation means 2 , a sensor 3 , a noise elimination means 4 , and a warning means 5 .
  • the psychosomatic state evaluation means 2 is a means for predicting or determining the psychosomatic state of a subject 6 from the time series signal of the load value or barycentric position of the subject 6 .
  • the temporal change of a load value or barycentric position is known to be caused by the body movement derived from the result of the information processing by the brain.
  • the load value or barycentric position of a human being at any given moment is a result of combination of the instruction transfer signal from the brain to a body part such as the heart, hands and legs, with the delay portion of respective instruction, and the inventors of the present invention have found that the psychosomatic state can be determined or in some cases predicted by chaos theoretically analyzing the temporal change of a load value or a barycentric position.
  • the brain of a human being in a sufficient wakefulness state effectively processes infinite number of pieces of incoming information from outside; the barycentric position in such the case shows a chaos theoretically stable trace.
  • the collective term of a stable solution having the characteristic of attracting the trace namely a set where the trace asymptotes is called an attractor, and the attractor which indicates a chaos is referred to as a strange attractor, because of its geometrically complex structure.
  • the load value of the subject 6 required for the psychosomatic state evaluation means 2 includes the load value applied to the pressure sensor or a value conversable to the load value or a value obtained corresponding to the load value (for example, an acceleration value) and the data may be of one dimensional, or multi-dimensional. Also the number of dimensions has no concern to the barycentric position.
  • the psychosomatic state evaluation means 2 has a data processing means 20 , an evaluation means 22 and an exponent database 24 .
  • the data processing means 20 is a means for calculating the psychosomatic state exponent from the time series signal of the load value or barycentric position of the subject 6 .
  • the psychosomatic state exponent is a value providing a basis for the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state. More specifically, this exponent is Lyapunov exponent and the like used for the chaotic exponent, meaning the value with which it is possible to quantitatively determine whether or not a chaos in the chaos theory or the temporal mean value thereof.
  • the psychosomatic state exponent is different from other exponent that has a variation among individuals of not less than several hundred percent, such as steroids in the blood or sputum, and has much less variation among individuals and is an exponent calculated for each of psychosomatic states, such as the number of heart beats and the blood pressure.
  • the psychosomatic state may not be limited to the conventional Lyapunov exponent, but may be a cerebral function exponent as will be described later.
  • the cerebral function exponent is an exponent for evaluating the chaoticity, similarly to the Lyapunov exponent in the prior art.
  • the value is calculated by restricting the object of calculation to the time series signal that has a strong periodicity or periodic characteristic (the frequency analysis thereof should generate a spectrum with explicit peaks on the frequency domain) such as the time series signal of the load value or barycentric position of the subject 6 or the time series signal of the continuous speech voice.
  • the cerebral function exponent in its calculation process, a neighborhood points set is generated by previously cutting out a processing unit based on the periodicity of the time series signal, thus it is a psychosomatic state exponent capable of being calculated in a more stable and fast manner than the conventional Lyapunov exponent. Therefore the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state can be conducted in a more immediate and accurate manner, and is effective in a situation where the human error due to a doze and the like must be prevented with certainly.
  • the evaluation means 22 is a means for predicting or determining the psychosomatic state of the subject 6 based on the result of comparison of the psychosomatic state exponent calculated in the data processing means 20 with the known psychosomatic state exponent that has been stored in the exponent database 24 .
  • the exponent database 24 stores the temporal tendency and/or numerical value of the time series signal corresponding to a specific psychosomatic state. For instance, the exponent is stored as a value or tendency of the time series signal for a standing human being who is wakeful, or as a value or a tendency of the time series signal for a sitting human being who is tired.
  • the temporal tendency is also a temporal change (gradient) of the psychosomatic state exponent, which can be expressed by a number, a positive or negative symbol, a ratio and the like.
  • the psychosomatic state exponent is calculated from the time series signal of the load value or barycentric position of the subject 6 , the psychosomatic state can be predicted or determined without imparting any awareness to the subject 6 , without based on any subjective decision. As has been described above, since the psychosomatic state exponent has less variation among individuals, it is not needed to previously experiment or measure each subject to store the psychosomatic state exponents of each individual.
  • the sensor 3 may be any sensor which can output the load value of the subject 6 , a value conversable to the load value, or a value obtained in correspondence with the load value.
  • the sensor 3 includes various sensors such as a sensor such as a weight scale for weighing, a potentiometer in which the resistance varies in linear relation to the pressure due to the pressure-sensitive resistor element, a sensor which generates an electromotive force by means of a combination of a coil and a magnet, a sensor such as a piezoelectric element which outputs electric signals relative to the pressure, a sensor of static capacitance type, an acceleration sensor which outputs the acceleration value.
  • the sensor may be any one of a pressure sensor, a strain sensor, a displacement sensor, or an acceleration sensor and the like.
  • a typical example of the sensor 3 is the FSR series pressure-sensitive resistor element available from Interlink Electronics Corp.
  • output values of not less than two sensors 3 such as pressure sensors are mutually compared with one another to thereby identity the barycentric position.
  • the sensor 3 of this form is compact, has an improved pressure resistance, and is easily available, so that it can be built in to the seating surface or backrest of a chair, or a bed and the like, making it possible to measure the load value or barycentric position without imparting any awareness to the subject 6 .
  • the signal obtained form the sensor 3 may be of one dimension as have been described above, in other words only one single sensor is required for the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state from the time series signal of the load value.
  • FIGS. 4 to 6 A concrete example of the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state from the load value of the subject applied to a chair after installing a sensor to a chair is shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 .
  • FIG. 4 shows a front view (a) and a side view (b) of a chair 7 a , which has four pressure sensors attached as sensor 3 a under the legs, and the sensors 3 a are hidden under the floor surface A.
  • the chaotic analysis of the time series signal of the output vale from each of the sensors 3 a, or the calculation of the barycentric position of the subject from the output values of all four sensors 3 a followed by the chaotic analysis of the time series signal of thus obtained barycentric position makes it possible to predict or determine the psychosomatic state of the subject.
  • FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show an exemplary case in which an elastic material 8 such as a spring is inserted under the seat surface of a chair 7 to thereby measure the change in resistance caused by the stretch and distortion of the elastic material 8 by using a sensor 3 such as a potentiometer.
  • a sensor 3 such as a potentiometer
  • FIG. 6( a ) taken from the top of the chair 7 c shown in FIG. 6( b ), it can be seen that elastic materials 8 c are nipped on four corners of the chair 7 c and a sensor 3 c is placed on the center of the chair 7 c.
  • the chair 7 provides less sense of discomfort when the subject sits down thereon, the sensor 3 can be inserted in the chair 7 directly, and therefore no sensor 3 is required to be placed on the leg of the chair 7 or under the floor.
  • the elastic material 8 may be made of any material and in any form including metal, rubber, silicone, polyurethane as long as it deforms in response to the amount of load.
  • the chaotic analysis can be conducted even when the sensor 3 is installed on the loading surface of the subject such as a bed, a floor, and the backrest of a chair.
  • the prediction or determination of psychosomatic state of, for example, a patient in a hospital, or a driver or pilot of a vehicle such as an automobile and airplane can be made with the subject sitting down on a chair, or lying down on a bed, or standing still, without imparting any awareness to the subject.
  • the required sampling frequency of data is preferably in the range between approximately 10 Hz and 100 Hz, because the fluctuation of chaos in the load value or barycentric position resides in the low frequency band from 10 Hz to 100 Hz and the frequency components beyond the range can be considered as noises.
  • the chaos theory is a theory with the datum at a given point of time being used as an initial value, where an observation is made, on the data behavior of the sampled data at the next point of time, then on the sampled data at the succeeding point of time to thereby seek a dependency; the required data resolution of the load value or barycentric position is preferably approximately 8 bits to 16 bits or more because the prediction of chaos itself may significantly vary depending on the amount of noises convoluted on the data.
  • the noise elimination means 4 is a means operable to the signals of load value or barycentric position of the subject 6 for removing the noise components unnecessary for the calculation of the psychosomatic state exponent in the data processing means 20 mentioned above.
  • noise elimination means 4 in general, analog or digital low-pass or high-pass filters and the like are used to remove unwanted frequency components. Those frequency bands impossible in the chaos theory analysis, or noise components generated by the subject 6 when he/she sneezes, or noise components convoluted on the power line, are eliminated to thereby improve the precision of the data processing and the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state.
  • the warning means 5 is a means for warning or notifying the subject 6 or the management station 9 that manages the subject 6 when the subject 6 is in the interval between the wakeful state and the non-wakeful state, or in an abnormal psychosomatic state.
  • the subject 6 can be warned through the warning means 5 to display the warning message on the display 11 , or to sound a warning or an alert from the speaker 10 .
  • the management station 9 that controls and manages the subject 6 of the psychosomatic state of the subject 6 so as to thereby enable the management station 9 to manage the subject 6 , but also to warn or direct the subject 6 directly from the management station 9 via a wireless communication and the like.
  • the warning means 5 makes it possible to prevent an accident with certainly and before it happens due to a human error for example due to the dozing of the subject 6 .
  • the operation of the psychosomatic state determination system 1 will be described in greater details with reference to the system configuration shown in FIG. 1 .
  • a case will be described in which the psychosomatic state of a subject 6 sitting on a chair 7 that has a sensor 3 built in thereto as shown in FIG. 6 is predicted or determined.
  • the sensor 3 is an acceleration sensor.
  • the sensor 3 outputs the acceleration obtained from the subject 6 sitting on the chair 7 , the output values are sequentially captured in the data processing means 20 in the order the earliest first in the time sequence.
  • the time series data of the output values from the acceleration sensor in a given period of time is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 .
  • FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the time axis of FIG. 7 in a given period of time.
  • FIG. 9 shows the data of thus calculated psychosomatic state exponents versus time. It should be noted here that the psychosomatic state exponents shown in FIG. 9 are of cerebral function exponents, detailed calculation thereof will be described later.
  • the psychosomatic state exponents thus calculated is compared with the psychosomatic state exponents stored in the exponent database 24 .
  • the psychosomatic state exponent does not increase as mentioned above in every situation even if the subject is tired.
  • the subject 6 sitting on the chair 7 and staying still as in the present example is considered, in case in which the subject is sitting in front of a radar scope in a flight control room, or is sitting in front of the operation console in a plant control room, if the subject becomes tired, the movement of barycentric position freezes and behaves like a mechanical motion, the psychosomatic state exponent calculated from the time series signal of the load value will gradually decrease as compared with the subject in a wakeful state, and the exponent will settle to a constant low value when he or she has completely fallen asleep.
  • the exponent database 24 in the present example stores the temporal tendency and/or a numerical value of the psychosomatic state exponent in correspondence with the psychosomatic state in such a way that, when the psychosomatic state exponent exhibits a temporal tendency that gradually drifts from higher to lower, a doze is predicted, and when the psychosomatic state exponent exhibits a certain value, it is determined to be a doze, in case the subject 6 is sitting on the chair 7 .
  • the psychosomatic state exponent is higher at the beginning, indicating that the subject 6 is in a wakeful state and is doing a monitoring work of watching a display, however the psychosomatic state exponent gradually decreases, so that the prediction can be made that the subject 6 is in a semi-wakeful state just prior to a doze.
  • the subject 6 is not completely in a non-wakeful state, he or she is warned by the warning means 5 to thereby be brought back to a wakeful state to prevent an accident securedly and before it happens.
  • the period ( 4 ) in FIG. 9 indicates that the subject is in the non-wakeful state similar to ( 2 ), however as the psychosomatic state exponent is momentarily and slightly increasing, it can be seen that although the subject 6 is dozing, due to noises such as speech voice or a warning sound or a call of cellular phone, the subject 6 is paying attention by his or her ears to the noise while dozing.
  • the psychosomatic state exponent will further increase so that the subject 6 goes back to a wakeful state.
  • the noise level has been low and imparted only a few effects to the subject 6 so that it can be determined that the psychosomatic state exponent has settled again to a lower level and the subject 6 has gone back to a complete non-wakeful state.
  • the output value from only one single acceleration sensor is used to predict or determine the psychosomatic state, and the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state will be identical and similar results can be obtained even when more sensors are used, as long as the sensor 3 outputs the load value or barycentric position. It can be seen from the foregoing description that the present example makes it possible to predict or determine the psychosomatic state of a subject without imparting any awareness to the subject and without being based on any subjective determination.
  • the conventionally used Lyapunov exponent calculation method is based on the assumption that the dynamics (a fluctuation or a dynamic characteristic of a state along the time axis), of a system (a system; In the present example this is a system for measuring a time series signal of the load value or barycentric position obtained based on the psychosomatic state of the subject 6 ) is stable and in the conventionally used Lyapunov exponent calculation method, the main flow is to seek a neighborhood points set that satisfies a predetermined neighborhood condition (which is a set of points that have very proximal values or distances on a multi-dimensional space), and thereby to perform the convergent calculation with respect to that neighborhood points set.
  • the convergent calculation is to track the behaviors of points in the neighborhood points set that at the beginning should be in mutually very close positions to follow their development afterwards, namely to observe the attractors, and this calculation is required for determining the chaoticity.
  • the time series signal of the load value or barycentric position have a short duration or repetition time in certain dynamics, and even if the conventional Lyapunov exponent is calculated for each of dynamics, the number of repetition of the convergent calculation is limited and the exponent has a value not always reasonable, and therefore the reasonableness is improved by averaging the values obtained in the period of approximately five minutes.
  • the calculation method of cerebral function exponent has been made in view of above circumstances and problems. More specifically, a quite convergent neighborhood points set is generated from the beginning, without specifying the processing unit or the neighborhood condition, by generating a set of candidate points of neighborhood points by using the stable range of period of the time series signal as the processing unit, in lieu of seeking the neighborhood points from within the processing unit of predetermined and fixed interval. Accordingly the process becomes faster and the local psychosomatic state exponent can be calculated stably and immediately even with the time series signal of a short duration of dynamics.
  • a generic methodology for observing attractors is, as similar to the calculation of the conventional Lyapunov exponent and the cerebral function exponent as will be described later, to generate a delay vector from the original time series signal and thereby to plot in the reconstructed state space. This is also referred to as the reconstruction of attractors. By observing these attractors, the information equivalent to the original system which created the time series signal can be observed. As a preliminary step before the description of calculation method of the cerebral function exponent, a simple example of attractor reconstruction will be described with reference to FIG. 10 .
  • the dimension m is a dimension which can correctly represent the system information in which the original time series signal is obtained
  • m is called as an embedding dimension. If the attractor is reconstructed by the correct embedding dimension, then the evaluation of the chaoticity of the system can be conducted. It should be noted here that the condition where the conversion to the reconstruction state space using the time delay coordinate becomes embedded one has been proved by the embedding theorem of Takens and is known.
  • t 0, 1, . . . ⁇ . s(t) is time series signals with the output signal of the sensor 3 sampled at a constant sampling frequency f (Hz).
  • the time interval between neighboring time series signals (for example, between s( 1 ) and s( 2 )) is based on the sampling frequency (1/f)(s).
  • an embedding dimension D an embedding delay time ⁇ d , an expansion delay time ⁇ e , and a size of a neighborhood points set N. These parameters are also required to be defined when the conventional Lyapunov exponent is calculated.
  • the size of an neighborhood points set N has to be not less than the number of embedding dimensions D+1, and has to be set in accordance with the property of the time series signal.
  • D+1 the number of embedding dimensions
  • the dithering processing is an intentional addition of noise to the signal, and is common in the digital processing of audio signals. By performing a dithering processing, there are cases where the precision of restoring the digital signal to the original analog signal is improved.
  • the size N of neighborhood points set is preferably about 6 or 7.
  • values of integral multiple of the sampling period are selected, since these can be constructed from the point at which the time series signal is sampled.
  • x ( i ) ⁇ x i
  • the prediction of period T and the verification of whether the processing unit x(i) is a set satisfying the period T are conducted by using any of frequency analysis methods such as a discrete Fourier transform (DFT), a linear prediction analysis (LPC) and a wavelet analysis.
  • DFT discrete Fourier transform
  • LPC linear prediction analysis
  • a wavelet analysis not only the periodicity condition of whether or not it has the period T but only the condition in accordance with the magnitude of level (amplitude) of the sampled signal may be added to the cutting out of processing unit. For instance, a condition that the signal dynamic range is not less than a predetermined value may be added as the cut out condition of the processing unit.
  • the definition of period T as mentioned above is not defined, so that the processing units are sequentially cut out, at a predetermined and fixed unit of time, for example for every 10 ms. Accordingly, in case of the calculation of a conventional Lyapunov exponent, the neighborhood points set is not yet generated at that point of time, thus the process takes a longer time because the neighborhood points set that satisfies the predetermined neighborhood condition is searched for from within all of the sampled time series signals of the predetermined processing unit.
  • ⁇ s max ⁇ P 0 P 1 , P 0 P 2 , . . . , P 0 P (N ⁇ 1) ⁇ Equation 3
  • the neighborhood distance ⁇ s is an essential parameter as the neighborhood condition when seeking an neighborhood points set in the calculation of the conventional Lyapunov exponent; however in the case of cerebral function exponent, this is not always needed to be used the neighborhood condition because an neighborhood points set or a set of candidate neighborhood points is already generated at that time.
  • the neighborhood distance ⁇ s is used for the neighborhood condition having a meaning of screening the cut out processing units, and is also used as the condition of whether or not to continue the convergent calculation (a convergent calculation continuity condition) as will be mentioned later.
  • white noises which should not have the original periodicity
  • the neighborhood distance ⁇ s calculated for the processing unit that includes the white noise as one component has no chaoticity, so that it naturally takes a maximum value.
  • the neighborhood condition may be applied, or the processing unit may be cut out by considering that a signal having a dynamic range of more than a certain value is not a white noise as has been described above.
  • the neighborhood condition is defined as ⁇ s ⁇ c , and if the neighborhood distance ⁇ s of the neighborhood points set P as mentioned above does not satisfy this condition, then this P is considered not to be a neighborhood points set and the processing unit x(i) is rejected. Thereafter, another processing unit x(i′) which has its origin at a point posterior to the processing unit x(i) in time sequence is newly generated, and the neighborhood points set P′ generated from this x(i′) is then determined whether or not to satisfy the neighborhood condition.
  • this step may be omitted, and the processing units where every sampling points or arbitral sample points in the time series signal s(t) are used as respective origin may be generated to thereby apply the following calculation.
  • cerebral spectra corresponds to the estimation of Lyapunov spectra in the conventional Lyapunov exponent.
  • Equation 7 provides the sum of square of errors in the relation between micro-displacement vector y j and expansion displacement vector z j when matrix A 0 is given. Therefore the partial differential of S 0 in Equation 7 means that the sum of square of errors in relation between micro-displacement vector y j and expansion displacement vector z j is minimum. In other words, Equation 7 describes that the matrix A 0 is estimated from the least square method.
  • the cerebral function exponent has a higher correlation between local x 0 and its value because the neighborhood points set is generated in synchronization to the periodicity of the time series signal.
  • the cerebral function exponent which has its very high validity of relationship between the neighborhood points set and its expansion points set, has an aim of calculation different from the convergent calculation in the conventional Lyapunov exponent.
  • a new processing unit x 1 (i) is cut out which has a period T having the earliest point in the time sequence as an origin (namely, the first point x 0+ ⁇ e of S 0 ) among time series signals that form the expansion points set S above.
  • the number of components of x 1 (i) is (n 0 +1), similar to x(i) as mentioned above.
  • This processing unit x 1 (i) is verified whether or not it satisfies the periodicity condition (whether it has a period T). For instance, if x 1 (n 0 ) is a signal not included in the period T, then the convergent calculation for the processing unit x(i) is terminated at that point of time.
  • the end of calculation means that the cerebral function is calculated for each dynamics. By this, even if a plurality of different dynamics is simultaneously convoluted, the cerebral function exponents are calculated, one for each dynamics, namely as many as the number of dynamics.
  • the processing unit x n (i) with the earliest point in the time sequence as an origin is generated, then if this processing unit satisfies the periodicity condition, the neighborhood points set P(n) is generated, and if and only if the neighborhood points set P(n) satisfies the neighborhood condition as mentioned above, then the expansion points set S(n) is generated, in other words the convergent calculation will be continued.
  • a n denoting the correlation between a neighborhood points set P(n) and an expansion points set S(n) is determined. More specifically, A n can be given by the following equation.
  • the neighborhood condition and the convergent calculation continuity condition need not be uniform, and rather they can be varied depending on the number of convergence.
  • the neighborhood condition at the time of n th convergent calculation may be set in such a way that the calculated neighborhood distance ⁇ s is less than or equal to the neighborhood distance ⁇ x ⁇ (n ⁇ 1) of the neighborhood points set P(n ⁇ 1)in the (n ⁇ 1) th convergent calculation or less than or equal to ⁇ s ⁇ (n ⁇ 1) ⁇ a (a is a constant, for example a ⁇ 1.1).
  • the cerebral spectrum c ⁇ c s
  • s 1, 2, . . . , D ⁇ with respect to the processing unit x(i) having its origin x 0 , at the time when the convergent calculation has proceeded to n th , is expressed by the following equation with the time expansion matrix being M.
  • the cerebral function exponent in the present example means the largest value in the cerebral spectra c. In other words, the cerebral function exponent corresponding to x 0 will be c 1 .
  • R K S is s th element in the diagonal elements of the matrix R K by counting in a descending order.
  • the conventional Lyapunov exponent ⁇ m corresponds to c s ; however R K m in ⁇ m means m th diagonal element of the matrix R k .
  • the change in psychosomatic state can be visually grasped by making a time series graph of the result from the processing such as a temporally moving averaging, similarly to the conventional Lyapunov exponent.
  • c m (t) is the cerebral function exponent at time t (the time of origin of the cut out processing unit)
  • ⁇ s (t) is the neighborhood distance which provided that cerebral function exponent
  • T(t) is a period determined by the frequency analysis at the time cutting out of the processing unit. t is obviously the time based on the sampling period.
  • the period from t 0 to t 1 is the time during which a constant action continues, or the time during which the dynamics is approximately constant. For instance, this corresponds to a period of time of a specific constant action such as a period of time during which a driver drives a car at a constant acceleration on a straight road in the example 2 described later, and a period of time during which a subject lies on a bed in a fixed position.
  • This is the continuous period of a phoneme comprised of a certain vowel.
  • the Japanese language has a specific characteristic in each vowel.
  • t 0 ⁇ t ⁇ t 1 ) are then sorted in an ascending order depending on the size of ⁇ s (t) to thereby obtain CEm(i
  • FIG. 9 used in the preceding example shows a graph after a temporal moving averaging is applied to thus obtained cerebral function exponent C M .
  • the period t 0 ⁇ t ⁇ t 1 is only necessary to be segmented to a degree such that the change in the psychosomatic state becomes traceable, to thereby calculate a cerebral function exponent C M for each of those segmented periods of time (the number of samples being in the order of approximately 1000 or so).
  • p in accordance with the measurement precision of the time series signal obtained from the sensor 3 , or in accordance with the conversion performance at the time when an analog time series signal is converted to digital signals. It is preferable to set p to about 10 to 20% for a signal where the noises irrelevant to the chaos has been sufficiently eliminated by the noise elimination means 4 , or a signal having a large dynamic range because of a high performance of the sensor 3 and the A/D (analog-to-digital) converter. On the other hand, for a signal having a high noise level caused by either the sensor 3 or A/D converter which has a poor performance, it is preferable to set p to not less than 30%.
  • the cerebral function exponent C M can be calculated also as follows. First, based on the size of ⁇ s , the CEm (t
  • t 0 ⁇ t ⁇ t 1 ) ⁇ ( c m ( t ), ⁇ s ( t ), T ( t ))
  • t 0 ⁇ t ⁇ t 1 ) can be given by the following equation, with respect to the SiCECA neighborhood distance ⁇ s (t).
  • N r is the number of elements, among C m ⁇ C M (t
  • C M 10 (t
  • C M r which is given as a mean value of c m in which ⁇ s is less than or equal to 10% of the radius of the strange attractor, the number of elements to be extracted is not defined by r, rather it varies depending on the time when C M is given.
  • C M r may be mechanically calculatable for an arbitrary r where 0% ⁇ r ⁇ 100%, r is required to be set to r ⁇ 10% in order to more correctly predict or determine the psychosomatic state, since the changing rate abruptly decreases when r>10% if the time series signal to be processed has a strong chaoticity such as in case of the time series signal of a load value or a barycentric position or a speech voice.
  • C M that is calculated by using r is given as the mean value of c m . Accordingly, when i ⁇ (p) in equation 11 is smaller, or N r in equation 13 is smaller, the precision of C M decreases. Thus r is required to be set to not less than 2% or 3%.
  • the storage medium which stores any variables, equations, and values necessary for the calculation of cerebral function exponent, and which further stores the instructions for calculation processing of these variables, equations and values in the four-function calculation, integrodifferential, functions, arrays, pointers, branching, repetition, reentrant process, based on the calculation method of cerebral function exponents as have been described above constitutes a cerebral function exponent calculation program.
  • the cerebral function exponent calculation program is executed by a generic computer comprised of any hardware such as a memory, processor and storage means, and can be a component of the data processing means 20 .
  • FIG. 2 An example of the psychosomatic state determination system in such a configuration is shown in FIG. 2 .
  • the psychosomatic state determination system la includes a psychosomatic state evaluation means 2 , a sensor 3 , a differential amplification means 32 , an analog-to-digital converter means 34 , a noise elimination means 4 , a warning means 5 , and an action detection means 12 .
  • the psychosomatic state evaluation means 2 , sensor 3 , and warning means 5 are identical to those explained above and will not be explained.
  • the noise elimination means 4 is a means, similar to that described in the preceding example 1, for eliminating any unwanted noise components.
  • the vibration component and the like of vehicles transiently generated by running on a dirt road or by starting the engine is convoluted on the signal data obtained from the sensors 3 as noises, so that the elimination of such noises caused by the vibration and the like is essential.
  • the noise component can be eliminated by eliminating or attenuating a specific frequency band by using a band elimination filter and the like, or by providing a sensor different from sensor 3 for measuring the biological signal of a subject 6 to thereby subtract the pure noise component of obtained therefrom by the differential amplification means 32 to be explained in the following stage.
  • the differential amplification means 32 is a means for amplifying the output signal from the sensor 3 .
  • the output resistance of the pressure-sensitive resistor element is inserted to the input stage of the differential amplification means 32 to thereby obtain an electric signal corresponding to the magnitude of pressure.
  • Providing this means can facilitate the data processing by amplifying very small time series signal of the load value or barycentric position.
  • the differential amplification means 32 is also a means for specifying the barycentric position from the load value which is a measured output signal from each sensors 3 .
  • the barycentric position can be obtained by calculating the potential difference of the signal output from the sensor 3 to thereby compare to find the location of the highest potential in the differential amplification means 32 .
  • the position of and the number of sensors 3 for identifying the barycentric position can be arbitrarily defined. Regardless of the positions of and the number of sensors 3 , the time series signal of the barycentric position calculated exhibits a chaotic behavior. Thus, it is not always necessary to provide a number of sensors 3 in a matrix form; rather at least two sensors 3 are sufficient for the calculation of barycentric position. The deployment of sensors 3 in a matrix form is not required, so that the introduction of the psychosomatic state determination system 1 is facilitated and provides a merit in the cost. If, on the contrary, a number of sensors 3 are used, the output delay intrinsic to each sensor 3 is different and will affect the chaotic analysis unless the delay is identical among sensors 3 . It is thus preferable to use less number of sensors.
  • the analog-to-digital conversion means 34 is a means for converting to a digital signal to be processed in the data processing means 20 to thereby obtain time series signals, when the amplified signal in the differential amplification means 32 is an analog signal. To convert an analog signal to a digital signal, the sampling and quantization as mentioned above may be done in this analog-to-digital conversion means 34 .
  • the action detection means 12 is a means for detecting in a time sequence the operating state or the driving state of the subject 6 .
  • the load value or the barycentric position will be different according to the behavioral states, whether the individual is sitting still on a chair, or standing still, or driving a vehicle.
  • the temporal tendency and the value of the psychosomatic state exponent will vary even if the psychosomatic state is the same.
  • the case when driving a vehicle can be classified to either the case when the vehicle is standing still and the case when the vehicle is running.
  • the acceleration state and the barycentric position change in correspondence with the curve, the change of direction such as right or left turn, or acceleration. It is therefore required to detect the operating state of the acceleration sensor, brake or steering by the action detection means 12 to thereby grasp the driving state.
  • a minute delay significantly affects the prediction of a chaos. Therefore it is preferable that the time series data of the state obtained in the action detection means 12 and the time series data of the barycentric position obtained from the sensor 3 are synchronized with each other, to thereby avoid any delay.
  • the pressure signals, indicative of the load state of the subject 6 and received in the sensors 3 are transduced to electric signals, from which in turn any unwanted frequency components are eliminated in the noise elimination means 4 ;
  • the barycentric position of the subject 6 is determined by a processing in the differential amplification means 32 ;
  • the time series signal of the barycentric position is converted to digital time series signals in the analog-to-digital converter means 34 ;
  • the psychosomatic state exponent is calculated in the data processing means 20 .
  • the exponent database 24 stores a temporal tendency and/or a value of a known psychosomatic state exponent corresponding to a psychosomatic state for each operating condition or driving condition of the subject 6 ; the known psychosomatic state exponent in the detected state of the subject 6 in the action detection means 12 is compared with the psychosomatic state exponent already calculated in the evaluation means 22 . By doing this, the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state can be sequentially conducted, according to the situation where the subject 6 is in.
  • the individual when a driver of a vehicle is in a fully wakeful state, the individual accepts through eyes and ears various external information and senses the information with respect to the road condition via the chair; the individual pays attention to the instrument panels and sceneries, and as a result the trace of the barycentric position of the body of the individual corresponds to the changes in the necessary changes of the body posture; even when acceleration is applied, the individual can predict the occurrence of acceleration by the visual information, so that the individual can cope therewith by a stable barycentric displacement with less loss.
  • the temporal tendency or value of the psychosomatic state varies depending on the operation condition or the driving conditions of the subject 6 even when his/her psychosomatic state is the same; to predict or determine the psychosomatic state of a driver riding on a vehicle, a database is provided for each state to be detected in the action detection means 12 to thereby compare the calculated psychosomatic state exponent with psychosomatic state exponents known for the operation or driving conditions at that time and then to predict or determine the psychosomatic state.
  • the change in the operation or driving states causes basically a change in the periodicity; the cutting out of processing units and the convergent calculation will be aborted at the time when the periodicity changes. Accordingly the cerebral function exponent can be obtained for each operation state, namely for dynamics.
  • the cerebral function exponents can be each calculated for each dynamics, namely as many as the number of dynamics, even when a plurality of different dynamics are simultaneously convoluted.
  • the calculation method of the cerebral function exponent is such as described in the preceding example 1. From within the CEm(t) obtained previously, those for t 0 ⁇ t ⁇ t 1 are extracted to be set to CEm(t
  • the period t 0 to t 1 is a period where a constant action is maintained as detected in the action detection means 12 , and can be separated into, for example, a period of running on a straight road at a constant acceleration, a period of standing still, a period of turning a curve, and the like.
  • the period t 0 ⁇ t ⁇ t 1 in other words the period of constant action is as long as seen in the preceding example 1, the psychosomatic state, of course, is changing during the period, and this will adversely affect the instant psychosomatic state prediction or determination. Accordingly, the period t 0 ⁇ t ⁇ t 1 should be segmented into finer fractions to such a degree that the changes in the psychosomatic state can be traced, to thereby calculate the cerebral function exponent C M for each of thus segmented fractions of the period.
  • a psychosomatic state determination system will be described in which the subject is intentionally stimulated thereby to predict or determine the psychosomatic state of the subject.
  • the system configuration of the psychosomatic state determination system in accordance with the example is shown in FIG. 3 .
  • the psychosomatic state determination system 1 b shown in FIG. 3 comprises, in addition to the system components of the psychosomatic state determination system 1 a shown in FIG. 2 , a stimulation output means 13 and a stimuli database 15 .
  • the stimulation output means 13 is a means for stimulating the subject 6 .
  • the means vibrates the chair or bed having the sensors 3 built-in, or stimulates visually or acoustically.
  • a specific example of the stimulation output means 13 includes a pressure sensor such as a piezoelectric element.
  • the pressure sensor can transduce not only the pressure into an electric signal but it can transduce also the electric signal into a pressure, i.e., vibration or swing, so that another sensor can be placed in the vicinity of the sensor 3 to thereby provide a predetermined and intentional vibration.
  • the stimulation output means 13 may be any of means capable of controlling the vibration by a computer and the like to output the vibration, being other than a piezoelectric element.
  • the acoustic stimulation can be provided by sounding a music or speech through a speaker 10 , while the visual stimulation is provided by displaying a still image or motion picture on a display device 11 .
  • the stimuli database 15 is a database for storing the vibrations, voices and images to be output in the stimulation output means 13 .
  • the exponent database 24 stores previously known data, where, when a vibration A, for example, which is stored in the stimuli database 15 , is applied to a non-wakeful subject, a temporal tendency or value B of psychosomatic state is given, and the vibration A, for example, is applied to a wakeful subject, a temporal tendency or value C of psychosomatic state is given.
  • the correspondence between the psychosomatic state and the psychosomatic state exponent should be explicitly and previously identified, for each of the types of stimulation including the vibration as well as the music and images.
  • the brain of the subject 6 in a wakeful state which has the information processing capability to respond to the micro-vibration, will follow the micro-vibration without any significant delay to displace the barycentric position.
  • the subject 6 in a fatigue state is slow to respond to the micro-vibration so that the change in the barycentric position in response to the micro-vibration will be delayed. If the subject 6 is more tired, the response will further slow down and ultimately exhibits an excessive response to the micro-vibration to loose the barycentric position stability.
  • While the subject 6 is listening to a rhythmic hot number, and if he or she feels better, then he or she will respond to the rhythm to shake his or her body; if he or she does not feel good he or she does not respond to the rhythm. The difference will be shown in the difference of the value or temporal tendency of the cerebral function exponent.
  • the psychosomatic state of the subject 6 can be predicted or determined by intentionally supplying stimuli to the subject 6 , calculating the cerebral function exponent, then comparing it with the temporal tendency or value of the known cerebral function exponent.
  • the psychosomatic state determination system used for supplying physical stimuli or audiovisual stimuli so as to facilitate the recovery from an abnormal psychosomatic state to the normal psychosomatic state in case in which the subject is predicted or determined to be in an abnormal psychosomatic state such as dozing, will be described in greater details with reference to FIG. 3 .
  • the music, image or vibration can be output from the stimulation output means 13 based on the psychosomatic state of the subject 6 predicted or determined in the evaluation means 22 at the time when the state of the subject 6 prior to dozing is predicted, so that the system helps preventing the subject 6 from falling into an abnormal psychosomatic state, or promoting changes in behavior of the subject 6 .
  • the change in the psychosomatic state in that condition can be also continuously observed. If the subject 6 does not yet recover from the state where he or she is likely to doze, then the system will responsively supply larger stimuli.
  • the psychosomatic state determination system in accordance with the example is preferable for avoiding an unnecessary warning or an intimidation to the subject 6 as well as for conducting a psychological test to the subject 6 .
  • the system of the embodiments may be realized by providing a recording medium which stores a software program for realizing the functions of the preferred embodiment to the system, then by reading the program stored on the recording medium from the computer in the system to thereby execute thereon.
  • the recording medium used for supplying the program may include, for example, magnetic disks, hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optic disks, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards and the like.
  • the functionality of the embodiments as mentioned above may be realized by executing the program read by the computer, while the operating system and the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction provided by the program, and the functionality of the embodiments realized by the processing may also be included in the present invention.
  • the present invention makes it possible to predict or determine the psychosomatic state of a subject without imparting any burden or awareness to the subject, without being based on any subjective decision; the present invention not only determines that the subject “has fallen asleep” but also predicts that the subject is “likely to fall asleep”, and is able to warn prior to falling asleep, and the present invention therefore may any accidents caused by human errors, with certainty and before it happens.
  • Using at least one sensor which is implementable in the seating surface or backrest and the like of a chair enables the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state of a patient in a hospital, or a driver or a pilot driving or steering a vehicle or an airplane and the like, without imparting any awareness. Since only one single sensor nay be sufficient, there is an advantage that the synchronization among sensors or the difference among individuals due to the output delay present mutually among sensors are not needed to be considered, and that less number of parts is required.
  • At least two sensors are sufficient even for measuring the barycentric position, and the placement of a number of sensors in a matrix form is not needed, facilitating the installation of apparatus along with the merit of the cost reduction.
  • the intentional supply of direct stimulation to the body of the subject or audiovisual stimulation allows the prediction or determination of the psychosomatic state of the subject at that time, as well as the prevention of the individual from falling into an abnormal psychosomatic state, or the promotion of the changes in behavior of the subject; the present invention is effectively applied to avoid an unnecessary warning or intimidation, or to conduct a psychological test.

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